Clinical Cooney one to rely on when the pressure is highest

FAMILY TIES: Conor Cooney with his mother Mary after St Thomas’ got the better of Loughrea in the Galway SHC final replay. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

The contrast was borderline cruel. With seven minutes left, St Thomas were a point down and desperately pursuing a fifth consecutive Galway crown. It was their puck-out and everyone in the Pearse Stadium knew where it was headed.

Gerald Kelly launched it on top of his captain, Conor Cooney. The centre forward soared and was fouled. To onlookers, it was a tricky free into the breeze with huge stakes. For Cooney it was a gimme. Four minutes later, he was offered another opportunity inside his half to push them ahead by one. He slotted it and that margin held to the end.

It could have been so different. With two minutes left, Loughrea were awarded a free inside the 65 in front of the posts. Neil Keary had already scored four but this one was pulled wide. He had two defenders standing in a line in front of him and both danced to the right as he started his lift. It was to that side that the ball went wide.

It would be grossly excessive to say one miss decided the game. This was an enthralling final full of critical inches and at the top end, they all add up. For Conor Cooney, they always do.

“It was the two frees from Conor Cooney that were critical,” said former Galway hurler Cyril Donnellan post-match on commentary. “Two hard frees, both in his own half. He hit them like an arrow. Jesus, unbelievable shots at goal.” “He is doing that every day for the last seven or eight years for St Thomas’,” agreed All-Ireland winning manager Cyril Farrell. “A fantastic player.” Just how valuable is a placed ball specialist in the modern game of hurling? The reality is that it’s hard to say. When it comes free takers, it’s like the taste of water. We all know it, but can you explain it?

Statisticians can list off lengthy score tallies from play and set-pieces yet in hurling, the data is conflicting. The team that wins is often the team that scores the most from play. Frees scored do not help determine a winner. Limerick were outscored on placed balls four times in the 2022 Championship. They weren’t beaten once.

That is the machine, then there are the most critical parts. Who are the most important players? Free-takers score the most points. The all-time top scorer list is led by Patrick Horgan with Joe Canning, Henry Shefflin, TJ Reid and Eddie Keher following. In the 2022 championship top scorer chart, Conor Cooney was second with 1-60. 0-44 came from frees. Another seven points came from 65s and a sideline.

The highs and lows of Galway’s seesaw season were defined by his mechanical swing. In the eye of that infamous Salthill storm, it was his late free that intensified Brian Cody’s rage. In the Leinster final, his imprecision seemed to scatter across the rest of the side.

When dissecting games, leading analysis company GAA Insights calculate expected points. The data for the All-Ireland quarter-final between Galway and Cork is stark. Based on chances and shots, the expected result was Cork to win by 12. The actual result was Galway by a point.

At half-time Kieran Kingston’s side had hit 12 wides, a quarter from frees. The fact that Patrick Horgan was sitting in the stand as they committed fatal errors only exasperated fans’ frustration.

There is much that data cannot reflect. In bad weather, there are more fouls. Cooney’s home venue is the tempestuous Pearse Stadium. Does he deserve more credit for operating in such testing circumstances? What of the psychological damage of missed frees? How much of mental lift comes from having a weapon like Limerick’s Diarmuid Byrnes from range?

Ask Henry Shefflin about the value of those county final frees and immediately he starts praising the other stuff. The frees are standard; the value comes from the extras.

“They were two monster frees but I think it’s his general play, what he brings to the game. It wasn’t a free scoring game, very competitive. The physical strength and his desire. That was a big thing for me. For any team to do five in a row, the desire and hunger that has to be there. That was showcased by Conor.” Boil it all down and it all points one way; a clutch free taker is not so much a luxury as it is a requirement. The expectation is that placed balls go over. Now the revelation comes when they don’t. The same is true for other sports. NFL has specialist kickers. Of 44 field goal specialists this year, only 11 have an accuracy percentage of worse than 80%. This is an industry where one wide can spell the end of a career. Of that 11, three played a single match and were cut.

In the heart-breaking 2021 semi-final loss against Ballyhale, Cooney was inspirational. He finished with 0-11, one from play, one from a sideline, the rest from frees. The demand for Sunday? More of the same. As he stood celebrating outside the dressing room after their county final success, the 2017 All-Star was asked about his mental approach prior to those vital scores.

“The same thing,” he explained with a nod, “try to relax and strike it the same way you would if you were at home.” It was a response that immediately reminded us of Sean O’Shea’s when asked about his wonder boot in the All-Ireland semi-final. Pressure lessened by solitary local practice.

“When you’re in Kenmare you’re pretending you’re in Croke Park, and when you’re in Croke Park you pretend you’re back in Kenmare.” In terms of preparation, willpower, skill and efficiency, today’s elite free-takers are extraordinary. Their true importance? It only becomes apparent when you don’t have one.